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Importing sketchup


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  • 1 month later...
VW should be able to bring in .skp geometry without a problem. I haven't figured out how to bring in the imagery/textures yet. I'll let you know if I find a process. Ideally, a Google Earth aerial image would be at the right scale and save lots of time!

Export as a 3Ds file.

It brings in the textures, but in the wrong scale.

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What I find to be the biggest difficulty with importing SKP files into VW via 3DS import is that sometimes the textures are not properly 'stuck' to the Sketchup object.

Exporting 3DS file from Sketchup:

Before I export to 3DS I often find that I have to take one extra step that sets the UV texture mapping for the object. You'll need a free Ruby plugin named 'UV Toolkit' in order to set the UV mapping.

sketchucation :: UV Toolkit. You'll have to be registered on that forum in order to download. There are some videos there that will help you use the tool.

Once I set the UV textures with the UV Toolkit, then I exported the file to 3DS format and the texture files were exported along with it. (On the 3DS Export Options tab I select 'Export Texture Maps' and 'Favor Preserving Texture Coordinates', leave Units as Model Units). The textures should be in the same folder with the .3ds file.

Importing 3DS file into Vectorworks:

When you import the 3DS file into Vw, you need to select 'Import as 3D Groups of Polygons'. Importing it as a Vectorworks Mesh Object will not import the textures.

I have attached a Vw2010 file of a textured 3DS file which was exported from Sketchup 7 via Google Earth. Note that you'll have to take some extra steps in Sketchup 7 if you want color textures from Google Earth, look here if you want to do that:

. Sketchup 8 lets you get color terrain textures via File > Geo-Location > Add Location.

HTH.

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  • 1 year later...

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